1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a communication apparatus such as a facsimile machine, a telephone or the like, and particularly to a structure to improve the operability of setting various functions, such as sound volume, transmission concentration, etc., for example.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, facsimile machines have been designed in a multifunction style, and various functions such as a copy function, an automatic telephone message recording function, etc. are installed in these facsimile machines. Therefore, these functions can be performed by only one facsimile machine.
In such a facsimile machine, a large number of keys are provided on a front panel thereof to execute each function. If each key is individually provided in association with each function, it increases the cost of the facsimile machine. On the other hand, if each function status is set by key operation in combination with a function key, the cost is reduced because the number of keys is reduced, however, the operability is generally lowered.
Particularly, the sound volume adjustment key of the telephone function is indispensable to enhance the operability (ease of operation) for users. However, this key is not frequently used, and instead it is unnecessary to provide this key as an independent key in consideration of increasing costs, etc. On the other hand, in the case of a sound volume adjustment of a telephone by a key operation in combination with a function key, a user usually needs to carry out the key operation while checking a manual or the like every time, so that the problem arises that the user must perform a cumbersome operation.
In the case of a terminal apparatus having a function of outputting sounds through a speaker, the sound volume adjustment key thereof also has the same problem as the sound volume adjustment key of the telephone function.
In addition to the above facsimile machine, a facsimile machine having an operation panel shown in FIG. 14 is known.
On an operation panel 90 are provided a function switching button 91, a receiver volume setting button 92 comprising a pair of buttons to set a receiver sound volume, a ringing sound volume setting button 93 comprising a pair of buttons to set a ringing sound volume, a speaker volume setting button 94 comprising a pair of buttons to set a speaker sound volume at a handset communication time, and a liquid crystal display 95 for displaying the setting content.
A user of the facsimile machine pushes the function switching button 91 to select a desired function, and operates a desired setting button while viewing a cursor displayed on the liquid crystal display 95 to check the setting status.
Since the above-described facsimile machine is not provided with any button for setting a transmission concentration, in order to set the transmission concentration, the function button 91 is pushed several times to switch the frame of the liquid crystal display 95 to a frame used to set the transmission concentration, and any one of the receiver volume setting button 92, the ringing sound volume setting button 93 and the speaker volume setting button 94 is operated to set the transmission concentration.
That is, a number of button operations are needed to set the transmission concentration, and thus the operability is lowered. In addition, since a button that is specifically dedicated for setting the transmission concentration is not provided on the operation panel, a user may not understand that the transmission concentration can be set.
Further, the receiver volume setting button 92, the ringing sound volume setting button 93 and the speaker volume setting button 94 are provided independently of each other. Thus, a large number of buttons are needed which increases the manufacturing cost.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a communication apparatus which can enhance the operability of setting functions, and can reduce the manufacturing cost.
In order to attain the above object, a communication apparatus is provided that includes an image information reader that reads image information recorded on a recording medium and a transmitter that transmits image information read by the reader. A setting device commonly sets a reading concentration when the image information is read by the image reader and sets another function of the apparatus.
Accordingly, the setting of the reading concentration (transmission concentration) and the setting of the other functions are performed by a single device. Therefore, it is unnecessary for a user to learn an operation for setting the reading concentration and an operation for setting the other functions, and particularly discriminating these operations from each other, which enhances operability. In addition, since the above setting operations are performed by only a single device, the number of buttons and manufacturing cost can be reduced.
Further, a communication apparatus which can communicate through a handset under a line closed-and-connected status may include a line status identifier that identifies whether the line status is a line closed-and-connected status or not, and a controller that operates a predetermined key as a sound volume adjustment key if it is judged, on the basis of the identification result of the line status identifier, that the line status is the line closed-and-connected status, and operates the predetermined key as another function key when it is judged, on the basis of the identification result of the line status identifier, that the line status is a line non-closed-and-connected status.
In the communication apparatus, when the line status identifier judges that the line status is the line closed-and-connected status, the controller operates the predetermined key as the sound volume adjustment key. On the other hand, when the line status identifier judges that the line status is the line non-closed-and-connected status, the controller operates the predetermined key as another function key. In this case, a user can perform a sound volume adjustment without any cumbersome operation by merely setting the line status to the line closed-and-connected status and then operating the sound volume adjustment key. Further, in the line non-closed-and-connected status, the sound volume adjustment key serves as a function key other than the sound volume adjustment key. Therefore, the same sound volume adjustment key can be effectively used as a key which is associated with multiple functions, so that the number of keys is reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.